


Late Night Coffee

by morrezela



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Insomnia, Late Night Conversations, M/M, Musical Instruments, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-16
Updated: 2019-03-16
Packaged: 2019-11-18 22:16:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18127184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/morrezela/pseuds/morrezela
Summary: Nyx Ulric stumbles across a late night piano player at the sole coffee shop that's open in the Citadel at night. It might be the start of something he should avoid.





	Late Night Coffee

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally written for Ignyx week, but I didn't finish it in time. It was originally also going to be longer, but now I can't even remember where my plot was going. So here's what there is, I guess. 
> 
> (Inspired by the confirmation that Ignis knows how to play the piano because he and Noct took lessons when they were younger.)

The Citadel was never truly empty at night, but that didn’t stop Nyx from wandering around its almost deserted halls. There was a difference between not empty and busy. Those who worked the graveyard shift tended not to spend time interfering with the schedules of others. 

Nyx appreciated that lack of interest almost as much as he appreciated the out of the way coffee shop that had become his local haunt. It was located at a center hub of the Citadel. He assumed it was busy during the day, but it certainly wasn’t during the middle of the night. Which was nice because it meant that the chance somebody might stop him to make meaningless small talk in an effort to gain information was low. 

At least, in Nyx’s experience it wasn’t busy. There was always the chance that something out of the ordinary might happen. And this evening seemed determined to be out of the ordinary. 

Nyx hadn’t paid much attention to the strains of music reaching his ears as he approached his favorite midnight haunt. He was tired and cranky. Regret about signing up for a night shift purely for extra cash crowding his mind, there wasn’t much room left to care about anything extra beyond his next hit of caffeine. 

It wasn’t until he had ordered that he noticed anything out of the ordinary. Barely audible over the whistling and churning of the espresso machine were the dulcet tones of a piano. But Nyx’s ears weren’t what made him focus on the music. His eyes were what dragged his attention away from the promise of coffee and onto the musician pleasing his ears. 

Strong shoulders, a pretty face, and clothes that said he wasn’t renting some ramshackle little place like Nyx was - the pianist caught his attention.

Nyx didn’t like to fool himself. The fingers stroking those keys were adept. Their technique too good to be self-taught. He did not know the name of the person playing that piano, nor did he know the name of the tune he was playing. What he did know was that those fingers and the notes they were playing were out of his league. 

Those fingers had never so much as brushed against the outline of Galahd on a map. The person they were attached to was probably an arrogant asshole too wrapped up in his own world to ever think about the blood that was spilled outside the city limits in an effort to keep him and his wardrobe safe. 

Still, there wasn’t exactly harm in looking at him. He was, after all, playing in a public area. He couldn’t expect privacy. He couldn’t be that much of an asshole. 

“You going to order anything?” the barista asked. “Maybe two somethings?” he continued when Nyx didn’t immediately respond. 

“Just a coffee,” Nyx replied as he turned his back on the mysterious pianist. He didn’t blush or fidget at being caught staring. He was too old for that kind of stupidity. And even if he wasn’t, he was much too tired. 

The barista didn’t seem interested in pushing either the point or the sale. Another perk of being stuck on the graveyard shift was that lethargy was common. Nyx grunted out a thank you when his coffee appeared seconds later.

He wandered over to the seat closest to the piano because there was no reason not to. And there was no harm in looking or listening to something beautiful. Death was always close by, no reason not to appreciate something alive while he had the chance. 

Up close, the profile of the musician was more familiar, but Nyx couldn’t quite place where he’d seen him. He wasn’t a glaive, and nobody with clothes that expensive worked at any of the stores, bars, or restaurants Nyx frequented. 

Unfortunately for him, the pianist deigned to notice his presence. Pretty damned unprofessional of him. But Nyx figured he wouldn’t appreciate commentary on that. 

“Something I can do for you, Glaive Ulric?” the man asked. He didn’t quite turn his attention all the way on Nyx. Didn’t even look at him directly. Just stopped playing and rifled through the music sitting in front of him like he was searching for something when he was just keeping his hands busy. 

The accent was a surprise, not Lucian at all. But more interesting was that he knew Nyx’s name. Or at least his surname. 

Nyx squinted at the pianist in return. “I know you?” His words earned him a full gaze where his presence hadn’t. 

The guy didn’t look insulted or upset. He looked amused. Maybe even bemused if Nyx decided to use his vocabulary. Nyx really hoped he wasn’t some date he’d blown off in the past. 

“I see from your expression that you’ve not come over here to ask me for anything,” the man said instead of giving Nyx an answer. 

“I asked you if we knew each other,” Nyx corrected him.

“Yes, but that wasn’t your initial goal,” he replied. 

“Well it is now,” Nyx retorted. 

“I suppose that is a fair point. My apologies. You’ve caught me in a… mood.” 

Nyx wasn’t sure he liked the formality that crept into his tone. It was too practiced. Too smooth. 

“We do know each other, though not in any personal way,” the man continued. “Ignis,” he said, holding his hand as if introducing himself for the first time. 

Nyx shook it out of habit as well as to cover his embarrassment. Of course, he knew who the guy was now that his brain was making the right connections. He wasn’t sure if it was the lack of sleep or the fact that Ignis was behind a piano instead of some royal shoulder that had thrown him. But now he felt a bit silly. 

Sure, he couldn’t be expected to know everyone in the Citadel. Nor could be even be expected to know every member of the Crownsguard. But most everyone knew Prince Noctis’s royal shadow. Mostly because he was always the one smoothing over any faux pas the prince made. And because he was the one standing in for the prince during meetings. And because he was like some sort of institution in the palace. A hybrid stepbrother-confidant-bodyguard-nanny-chef-chauffer-secretary that had practically been working for the royal family since childhood – Ignis seemed to have his fingers in every pie in the kingdom. 

Point was, Nyx knew who he was. Had even taken orders from him on occasion. Well, one specific order. “Take Prince Noctis here because I’m busy, and you’re the closest person who can both drive and murder anyone who might dare to harm him that I can find,” was the specific one. Usually phrased a bit more delicately, but everyone knew what it meant. And even though Nyx wasn’t sure Ignis exactly had the authority to order any of the glaives around, everyone just obeyed anyway. 

“Sorry for the, uh, you know.” Nyx awkwardly waved his hand in an encompassing gesture as he pulled away from their handshake he realized had been going on a bit too long. 

“No need to apologize. These things happen,” Ignis replied in what Nyx just knew was a standard reply. 

It was so standard that he couldn’t help poke at it even though he should probably just get off his ass and go back to mindlessly guarding a door that wasn’t about to be attacked. “So you get mistaken for a random coffee shop musician often?” 

Ignis chuckled. His eyes crinkled up at their corners. Nyx barely had time to regret making him look so happy before Ignis was answering him. “I must admit that it doesn’t. Most simply walk by and gossip about my unseemly behavior after the morning council meetings.”

“This is unseemly?” Nyx asked. “I can think of a lot of things a lot more scandalous than this.” 

“Ah, but those are scandals,” Ignis said as he turned back to the piano. “This is simply unseemly. I won’t need to release a statement to the press apologizing for my actions. At worst, I’ll attract ugly rumors about me ceding my position to pursue the glitz and glamor of the stage.” 

“You don’t know that. Maybe I could make it a concern. I’m sure there’s a tabloid reporter on the grounds somewhere,” Nyx teased. He’d like to pretend that he didn’t know why he did it. But the way Ignis’s lips twitched back into a smile pushed that impulse away.

“A serious threat,” Ignis acknowledged. “Perhaps I can appeal to your generous nature and ask you not to expose me so cruelly.” He followed up his statement with the opening strains of a song that Nyx hadn’t heard in a while. A Galahdian tune. Something his mother used to sing. 

“I haven’t heard that in a while,” he said after a moment. He didn’t let any emotion creep into his voice. Outright refused to. 

Ignis hummed in acknowledgement. “I’m told it used to be quite popular. Though I’m half-certain my instructor only made us learn it because Noctis dislikes it.”

Nyx quietly judged the prince for that, but he didn’t express his thoughts aloud. 

“I’ve not had an occasion to play it for quite some time though,” Ignis continued, “so I apologize for the rendition.” 

“It’s fine,” Nyx hastened to assure him. “I’m not sure I’m okay with being called an occasion though,” he joked. 

Ignis’s playing hesitated for a moment before continuing. “Perhaps,” he cleared his throat, “perhaps I disagree with that statement.” 

That sounded an awful lot like a cousin to flirtation. “Meaning?” Nyx prompted. 

“Meaning that if I’m not mistaken, your intention by coming over here was of a more prurient nature.”

“It wasn’t,” Nyx assured him even though that was kind of a lie. 

“It is the only motivation that makes sense. You did not come over to seek political favor. You can hear music perfectly well from any seat here. And you stared at me for quite a long time before seating yourself and continuing to look.”

“I wouldn’t call it staring,” Nyx defended himself.

“Oh?”

“I’d call it appreciating.” 

Ignis let out a little huff and shook his head as he finished the song. “Does that sort of line typically work for you?”

“Does calling somebody an occasion normally work for you?” Nyx shot back. 

“I’m on royal retainer to the heir to the throne of Lucis. A line like, ‘Would you like fries with me?’ would work,” Ignis said as he pushed the piano bench back and stood up. 

“It doesn’t work on me,” Nyx replied. 

“Because you have good taste,” Ignis said. He stopped for a moment, glanced at the room behind Nyx before refocusing his gaze. “If you’d like, I know a place we could grab something to eat.” 

The offer was at odds with the rest of Ignis’s behavior. Not formal nor flippant, but genuine. Nyx kind of felt like an ass for having to turn it down. 

“I’m on break right now, so…” he gestured off back towards the area he needed to go back to guarding. 

“Ah. Well, I’m the last person to recommend somebody shirk their duties. Another time then.” 

Ignis began to move away before Nyx could process that it was a goodbye he’d uttered. Thankfully, running around on a battleground for a living made him faster than he looked. Getting up out of a chair to follow him was easy enough. 

“How am I supposed to arrange this other time if I don’t have your number?” Nyx asked, putting as much charm as he possessed into his tone. 

Surprise flickered across Ignis’s face before it disappeared a second later. “I’m certain you’ll think of something,” he replied with a sly wink before sauntering off. 

Nyx took a moment to shake his head at the idea he’d just been fucking winked at before leaving the area himself. He wasn’t sure pursuing anything with Ignis beyond a late-night flirtation was a good thing. He also wasn’t sure he’d be able to stop himself.


End file.
